October 2015

The Valley Center Historical Society is hunting for an orchid that was developed more than two decades ago and was given the name “Valley Center Pink,” Valley Center historian Robert Lerner said Monday. A preliminary search by local flower enthusiasts so far has not been fruitful, he said The orchid was hybridized and grown in 1992 by Joseph P. Banando, a retired grocery supervisor who…

Water saving irrigation systems, anyone? The Dos Valles Garden Club will present a talk by Matthew Noreen of Grangetto’s in Valley Center on water-efficient technologies for landscape, vegetable and orchard irrigation. The presentation begins at 10 a.m., Tuesday Nov. 10 followed by the general club meeting. Included in this timely presentation, according to Sharon Grant, will be a discussion on MP Rotators, drip irrigation, Netafim…

Palomar College hangs tough with #2 ranked Golden West Yes Virginia, Palomar College has a football team. They’re called called the Comets. They play home games at the cozy confines of Chick Embry Field, Wilson Stadium at Escondido High School. The Comets made Halloween a very scary Saturday night for the Golden West Rustlers, ranked second in California and fifth in the nation for junior…

Gas can + nearby clothes dryer = $50K garage fire A word to the Escondido fire wise: Don’t leave portable gas cans near ignition sources. That was the case and the scene Thursday when firefighters had to deal with a garage fire caused by a gas can left near a clothes dryer. Escondido firefighters around 9:15 a.m. Thursday responded to a reported structure fire in…

“So out walking in the frozen swamp one gray day/I paused and said,/I will turn back from here./No, I will go on farther/and we shall see.” — Robert Frost, “The Wood Pile” That’s how I feel this day walking past the bowling alley in the 2002 way back machine. Seeing what I can see on a hot day by a certain San Marcos landmark. The…

San Diego County’s top-ranked high school football team, the Mission Hills High School Grizzlies, did their thing Friday night overwhelming an undermanned Vista High School squad 47-21 at Mission Hills. One more victory and the Grizzlies will be undefeated going into the playoffs. Mission Hills star running back Nehemiah McFarlin rumbled to scores on his second, fourth and fifth carries on the night. Touchdown runs…

As expected, Escondido assistant city manager Graham Mitchell was elevated in rank Wednesday, following last week’s resignation of long-time city manager Clay Phillips. Phillips, 58, suddenly announced his retirement last week, effective Dec. 18. His $200,000-plus city pension begins at age 60. Mitchell, 46, was hired this summer as assistant city manager following the retirement of another longtime official, assistant city manager Charles Grimm. Mitchell…

The World Famous Golden Dragons of Strike Fighter Squadron ONE NINE TWO (VFA-192) this week celebrated a new commanding officer — CDR Dennis Duffy of Valley Center. This group of TOPGUN Navy Fighters fly F/A-18E Super Hornets out of Naval Air station Lemoore. They currently are assigned to the USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN-73). This change of command occurred during the squadron’s Southern Seas deployment embarked on board…

(Introducing Izabelle Joie Doucet. She is an energy worker and animal communicator. She will hold a special workshop Nov. 21 at beautiful View Ranch, San Marcos where water springs and flows from 1,000-feet deep aquifers defined by 7-foot high, mystical Stonehenge-like rocks, standing on unnaturally erect. The ranch also houses rescued horses on the oldest knoll in San Marcos. Workshop participants will need to bring…

Chicken Plus Greek Cuisine eat in or carry out, we do catering Chicken Plus gets an A-Plus-Plus from the Well Known Eatress. I had eaten at Chicken Plus in Escondido, on many occasions and had great dining experiences each time. Good food, good service with clean quaint atmosphere. My colleague and I were greeted at the door with a friendly smile and welcome aromas. The…